Support with social change is delivered by NCVO
Third Sector Foresight Website: Looking Out, an online strategy guide
Description: We have developed Looking Out, an online strategy guide, which examines strategic analysis in detail, gives advice on how to approach each step of the process, and signposts users to popular tools and sources of support. Looking Out also includes a video case study and a step-by-step guide to identifying and sorting drivers.
Target Audience: All voluntary and community sector organisations. These tools can also be used by both the public and private sectors.
Date: Ongoing
Region: All regions. This guide is also being used by civil society organisations all over the world, including those based in the USA and Australia.
Contact Name: Kathryn Cook Email: kathryn.cook@ncvo-vol.org.uk Phone: 020 7520 2510 / 020 7520 2510
Website: www.3s4.org.uk/looking-out
Third Sector Foresight Website: Online database of 100+ drivers
Description: We have built a comprehensive database of over 100 drivers (forces or trends) that could have a positive or negative impact on your organisation’s future. Our bank of drivers specific to the interests of civil society organisations.
sing and adapting our drivers helps organisations be more sustainable and resilient in the face of future changes in the external environment. U Foresight members can also comment on drivers and add new intelligence.
Target Audience: All voluntary and community sector organisations. These drivers can also be used by both the public and private sectors.
Date: Continuously updated
Region: All regions. Our drivers are also used by civil society organisations from around the world.
Contact Name: Kathryn Cook Email: kathryn.cook@ncvo-vol.org.uk Phone: 020 7520 2510 / 020 7520 2510
Website: www.3s4.org.uk/looking-out
Third Sector Foresight Bulletins
Regular updates to our members
Description: Our bulletins signpost members to articles and events designed to help the sector plan ahead for change. We send out two bulletins each month: Insights, dedicated to giving frontline network members the tools to adapt to a changing environment. Insights for Infrastructure, designed to support our infrastructure network members support the frontline in a fast-changing world.
Target Audience: All Third Sector Foresight members.
Date: Ongoing
Region: All regions. We also have many global members who receive and appreciate our updates.
Contact Name: Jessica Farr Email: jess.farr@ncvo-vol.org.uk Phone: 020 7520 2578 / 020 7520 2578
Website: foresight@ncvo-vol.org.uk, or become a network member online. You can register here: www.3s4.org.uk/join
Third Sector Foresight Network
Membership-based network for those interested in or involved in planning for change
Description: We facilitate a network of over 2,100 people who are involved in strategic analysis and future planning. Membership to our network is free, and allows full access to our website, where they can:
- create a profile page, and network with others in the sector
- access discussion forums
- annotate and collect drivers on our website
- ask NCVO Foresight for help and information
We are also planning an event to bring those we’ve worked with together for mutual learning and debate. We will follow this with a document that summarises the information and experiences gained through our work together. This work will be made available on our website, alongside an analysis of what the future may hold for the sector, based on discussions had on this day
Target Audience: All Third Sector Foresight members.
Date: Ongoing
Region: All regions
Contact Name: Jessica Farr Email: jess.farr@ncvo-vol.org.uk Phone: 020 7520 2578 020 7520 2578
Website: foresight@ncvo-vol.org.uk, or become a network member online. You can register here: www.3s4.org.uk/join
Third Sector Foresight Partner Work
Specialist subsector projects
Description: We are working in partnership with sub sector infrastructure organisations to map drivers that are specific to their future environment, and use this information to help plan ahead for change.
Those so far worked with include:
- Help the Hospices
- Age Concern
- National Union of Students
- Voice 4 Change England
- Mind
- Disability LIB
- National Council for Voluntary Youth Services
- Central Council of Physical Recreation
As part of these projects we ran bespoke events for specialist infrastructure organisation leaders, and engaged with specialist sectors beyond the immediate reach of our partner organisations. We also published our analysis on the website, and publicised it through our bulletins. We are also planning to build on our intelligence and support tools for membership organisations through specialist membership research and drivers
Target Audience: Sub sector infrastructure organisations
Date: Ongoing: Organisations and individuals can get involved by adding their comments to drivers already made public on our website.
Region: This project covers all regions, and those working at a national level.
Contact Name: Sarah Coombes Email: Sarah.coombes@ncvo-vol.org.uk Phone: 020 7520 2437 / 020 7520 2437
Website: www.3s4.org.uk
Third Sector Foresight Partnerships
Tailored training and detailed online analysis of regional drivers
Description: We are delivering training workshops for infrastructure leaders and development workers in partnership with 8 regional organisations and 1 community groups infrastructure organisation. These workshops train people to understand the external environment and plan ahead of change.
Our partners include:
- Yorkshire and Humber Regional Forum
- Regional Action and Involvement South East
- London Voluntary Service Council
- One East Midlands
- South West Forum
- Voluntary Organisations’ Network North East
- Voluntary Sector North West
- Community and Voluntary Forum: Eastern Region
- Community Matters
In addition to delivering our training, each partner develops and publishes drivers and news specific to their area. This increases regional futures intelligence.
Target Audience: Regional infrastructure organisations. Leaders and development workers of local or specialist infrastructure organisations.
Date: Ongoing (see website)
Region: All Regions (except West Midlands)
Contact Name: Sarah Coombes Email: Sarah.coombes@ncvo-vol.org.uk Phone: 020 7520 2437 / 020 7520 2437
Website: www.3s4.org.uk
Third Sector Foresight Publications
Future Focus series (free Future Focus bulk order offer)
Description: We have researched and published a series of 8 bite-sized publications to help small to medium-sized organisations think about likely changes in their external environment, and how these changes could affect them.
Topics include Funding, Volunteers, New technologies, Local democracy, Social trends, Population, Campaigning and Membership
To help these guides reach as many front line organisations as possible, we also offer infrastructure organisations free multiple copies of the guides to distribute to their networks
Target Audience: Aimed at small to medium-sized organisations, but also popular with infrastructure and umbrella organisations. Infrastructure organisations
Date: Ongoing
Region: All regions
Contact Name: Jessica Farr Email: jess.farr@ncvo-vol.org.uk Phone: 020 7520 2578 / 020 7520 2578
Website: You can order copies or download free PDFs online at: www.3s4.org.uk/about/publications/future-focus
Third Sector Foresight Events: Leading Lights seminar series
Description: We have offered a series of seminars held through the year. These seminars provide new analysis about social change and give our network members, and beyond, the chance to meet, plan and discuss. Previous seminar themes include:
- ICT, Citizenship, Migration
- Economic slowdown, Workforce, Climate change
- The future of membership and The future of campaigning
Target Audience: All Third Sector Foresight members, and other interested parties.
Date: Ongoing
Region: All regions
Contact Name: Jessica Farr Email: jess.farr@ncvo-vol.org.uk Phone: 020 7520 2578 / 020 7520 2578
Third Sector Foresight Events
Leading and presenting at futures events by invitation
Description: We have also been regularly providing infrastructure organisations with support by facilitating away days, speaking at conferences and leading workshops by invitation.
Organisations who have requested us to speak or lead a workshop include COVER (Annual Conference), NCVO (Annual Conference), European Civil Society Network, Women’s Resource Centre and the Yorkshire and Humber BME Network
Target Audience: Infrastructure organisations
Date: Ongoing
Region: All regions
Contact Name: Nick Wilson Young Email: nick.wilsonyoung@ncvo-vol.org.uk Phone: 020 7520 2578 / 020 7520 2578
Training for support providers